An X-ray CT (Computed Tomography) apparatus is a representative imaging diagnostic apparatus for medical purposes. When the X-ray CT apparatus is used, a chemical liquid such as a contrast medium and physiological saline is often injected into a patient in order to provide favorable diagnostic images. Chemical liquid injectors for automatically injecting the chemical liquid have been put into practical use.
For obtaining favorable images with the X-ray CT apparatus, it is important to start imaging after the lapse of a predetermined time period from the injection of the chemical liquid by the chemical liquid injector. Thus, if a single operator performs operations for injecting the chemical liquid and operations for obtaining diagnostic images, the operator should perform those complicated operations.
To address this, Patent Document 1 has disclosed that an X-ray CT apparatus and a chemical liquid injector communicate data with each other to associate the operation of chemical liquid injection by the chemical liquid injector with the operation of imaging by the X-ray CT apparatus. For example, obtaining of diagnostic images is started after the lapse of a predetermined time period from the start of chemical liquid injection in Patent Document 1.
In the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1, diagnostic images can be automatically obtained by the X-ray CT apparatus only if the operation of the chemical liquid injector is started, for example. This can reduce the workload for the operator.
In actual operations, however, the operator needs to enter and set data representing injection conditions for a patient such as his ID, weight, gender, height, body region to be imaged, and injection time period into the chemical liquid injector prior to injection of a chemical liquid. In addition, it is necessary to enter and set data representing imaging conditions for the patient such as his ID, body region to be imaged, imaging time period, and X-ray exposure conditions into the X-ray CT apparatus prior to obtaining of diagnostic images.
The setting of the injection conditions and the setting of the imaging conditions are separately performed in the chemical liquid injector and the X-ray CT apparatus, respectively. The injection conditions and imaging conditions to be set have some of the items in common. Even for the common items, the operator should enter them into both of the chemical liquid injector and the X-ray CT apparatus. For example, if some of the injection conditions are changed and the changed items are common to the injection conditions and the imaging conditions, the imaging conditions need to be changed in the X-ray CT apparatus. However, the operator may forget to change the imaging conditions.
Both of the chemical liquid injector and the X-ray CT apparatus have input means for inputting the injection conditions and the imaging conditions and display means for displaying the input details and the operation situations of them. Both of these input means and display means of the chemical liquid injector and the X-ray CT apparatus are often placed in an operation room. Thus, the input means and the display means of the chemical liquid injector and the input means and the display means of the X-ray CT apparatus are located in the operation room, which clutters the operation room.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-298610